Posted on 04/04/2007 1:16:42 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Who Got the British Sailors Released? By Catherine Mayer/London and Azadeh Moaveni/Tehran
The President of Iran was clearly relishing his role as beneficent liberator of the 15 British Marines and sailors detained by Iran for nearly two weeks. At a press conference today, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the release a "gift to the British people" on the occasion of Easter as well as a commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday. The smiling President then met with the British detainees, nodding his head munificently as they lined up to offer thanks for their release. "It is for Islam," he reminded one. He joked to another: "You ended up on a compulsory visit, didn't you?"
As much as today's events appeared to be another episode of the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad show, the Iranian president's actual role in ending the crisis may have been less than meets the eye. The office of the presidency in Iran does not really have a say in matters of foreign policy. Indeed, British analysts were quick to credit another political personage for the resolution of the drama. John Williams, the former Director of News of Britain's Foreign Office, asserts that Dr. Ali Larijani, the secretary general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was more important in calling the shots. "It seems that around the weekend, Dr. Larijani decided to settle this and took control," says Williams. "He has proved himself a significant power broker, a man who, if he feels it is in Iran's best interests, will do business with the international community." Other observers warn against giving Larijani too much credit. Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei, they say, may have decided that Iran had squeezed as much advantage out of the situation as possible and simply got Larijani to do the legwork to end the crisis.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Exactly.
>IMHO, this was a setup by President Bush. He got Nasty Pelosi to go along.<
Oh, come on. You really think W. would choose Nancy over SOS Condi to do this? No matter what one thinks of W., I don’t think he would do something this dishonorable to one of his own. You’ve been reading too much John Grisham.
....even MADMEN value their OWN lives...!!!
Nah, it was Pelosi and her knee pads.
Jesse Jackson did it. Or was it accomplished by Pelosi visiting with the terrorists? John Kerry on a swift boat?
Perhaps really a swap of Iranians held in Iraq for the British sailors.
Truer words were never spoken...or at least posted...It’s mind-boggling how many will cite this as precedent for future negotiations with Iran.
“the Prophet Mouhammed’s birthday...”
Sounds like a good excuse for a bombing run to me!
On the whole you are correct. Bottom line is Iran embolden themselves further with this....The U.K. looks weak (there is no denying this reality)....
That they have been released is good news. Lets see what comes from their debriefs over the next week or so....
We have too many useful idiots, defeatists, and traitors in the West who want to appease the terrorists like the mullahs in Iran.
It was Nancy Pelosi
You are right, “Nimitz” was a decision maker!
Now about Agent Levinson....
Well, it certainly wasn’t Tony the Wet Noodle.
Churchill must be turning over in his grave.
They haven’t been released yet ...
All I know is....when they are released there should be a complete investigation into their behavior and actions as hostages. They couldn’t stop the Iranians from taking pictures and video of them but I can guarantee that they should in no way have capitulated to their captors. You would’ve had to break my fingers and hands before I would’ve written any letter. They would’ve also had to utterly kill me before I would’ve made any verbal statement. I don’t give a rat’s a$$ why they did those things all I know is if they were true patriots and sailors/soldiers they would be coming home with injuries and even in a body bag. Those Iranian bastards would have to shoot me from the get go because I would be a rabid dog if they captured me. All I remember from the Marines is Name Rank and SS#. You don’t say anything else and you don’t break.
Just wait. She will be welcomed back as the conquering heroine/negotiator. Will the media note that Israel is calling her a liar? They should have known better than to welcome a serpent into their nest. But that's Olmert for ya.
So they *are* released? Rhetorical question.
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